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Sunday, December 11, 2016

Empowering Children & Youth To Perform Small Acts Of Meaningful Service #LIGHTtheWORLD

Things are getting crazy this time of year--we have parties and functions to attend, all the gifts, all the food, all the Hallmark Shows, decorating, and everything else! This time of year, though, is a time to be reflective and remember the reason for the Season! I feel like it's a great time to give more than just monetary gifts! It's a time to teach youth and children about the joy of service!
I received no monetary compensation for this post! This site uses affiliate and non-affiliate links for reference purposes. Thanks for your readership and support!I am participating as best as I can in a campaign that is helping me find ways to serve others and stretch myself a bit more this season. I'm trying to find a way to incorporate things into my already busy life--things that may not be huge, but can make a difference! It's called #LIGHTtheWORLD. When we remember all of the things that Jesus Christ did for us throughout His life, non-stop, I think that I can do just a little bit during the 25 days of Christmasof what I know He would want me to do as well!

At my school, I've decided to help the students (9th - 12th grade Behavior/Special Ed Resource Room) recognize when they are being helpful and thoughtful. It's really simple--I used fun, colorful, free printables to recognize little things that the kids do every day that are above and beyond the call of duty. I saw a boy help retrieve someone's backpack that had fallen down the stairs. I saw someone else bring Christmas gifts to his fellow classmates, I saw someone let another go in front of them in line. I saw someone give a special snack from home to someone else who was having a hard day. I saw someone use polite words when feeling annoyed. All of these things make everyone's day brighter, happier, easier and more joyful. When combined, these things do make a difference!

For the last week of school I am handing these tickets out from my special box and on the last day before Christmas Break, students will be able to redeem each ticket for a small treat from my gift basket! It's full of small items I have retrieved from the Dollar Store, Craft Stores, and left over from other activities. They seem to love this kind of thing. They love the recognition, they learn how to be helpful, they learn that even the small things matter!

Of course, this same thing can be done in the home with the kids! They love to be recognized for the good they do and this is an easy way to do it!Even if you are super busy, just the small things can make a huge difference during this time of year!